Prime Minister George Papandreou on Thursday had a meeting in Parliament
with the leadership of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).

Addressing the ETUC leaders, Papandreou stressed that "we are experiencing
a very difficult period and the only thing I can say is that I agree
with some of the proposals you have tabled such as, for example, the
tax on monetary transactions and the idea of the eurobonds. I believe
that if we had these tools in the EU, today we would be in a position
to face the crisis in the eurozone in a much more effective way and,
I would say, a much fairer way."

The prime minister added that the tax on monetary transactions would not
only cover the need for the payment of a price on the part of banks for
their mistakes either in the US or in Europe, but it would also provide
the possibility for growth in Europe, with investments in human potential
and infrastructures, which growth would contribute in turn to the facing
of the debt.

Papandreou stressed that changes must take place in Greece, adding
that the government is implementing many structural changes so that
the economny will become viable, adding however that "if there was in
Europe a stronger framework of economic, not only cooperation, but mainly
governance which we want, this would make this transitional period much
easier and, mainly, for working people."

The prime minister said that the voice of working people in Europe and
all over the world must be strengthened and added that "despite whatever
differences we might have with trade union organisations in Greece,
we are on the same side."

On her part, ETUC Secretary General Bernadette Segol said "Greece needs
a better agreement, for citizens and working people."

"We believe that the economic governance, which is already beginning to
be implemented, is not the best solution and will not lead to recovery
and growth which you need and Europe needs. And this is a very strong
message," Segol added, expressing also ETUC's support to proposals
such as the tax on monetary transactions, the idea of the eurobonds and
investments in Europe.

Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas on Thursday addressed the Economist
Conference taking place in southern coastal Athens, stressing that "the
international landscape is constantly changing, crises can be turned
into opportunities and the EU should not watch developments like an
observer. Instead, it should be one of the players shaping developments
and promoting its goals and values."

Referring to Greece's goals in the Balkans and regional stability, he said
"Greece supports the EU integration of the western Balkans ... Greece's
EU presidency in 2014 will be dedicated to the speeding up of the process
of integrating the western Balkan countries into the European family."

He observed that this is an attainable goal and that the Greek EU
presidency plans to hold an EU-western Balkan summit, adding that
the clear European prospect of these countries will constitute a real
incentive for the settlement of differences still existing in the area.

Droutsas said solutions to the Kosovo problem can be reached within the
EU framework.

Referring to discussions within the EU on so-called enlargement "fatigue",
Droutsas observed that "the costs in case no enlargement took place would
have been greater," adding that European unification will contribute to
the promotion of security and stability in the Balkan region.

Commenting on developments in North Africa and the conflict in Libya,
he underlined the need for a European plan for the region that will
not be limited to offering financial assistance but will serve as an
"investment" for peace and security in Europe.

He also referred to the illegal migration flows from these regions that
have already reached the southern borders of Europe and underlined that
"this is not a problem that concerns only the European south, like Greece,
it is a problem that escalates on European level."

As regards the role of the European Union and the international community
in handling the crisis in Libya and developments in the Arab World,
Droutsas stated that the West should not appear as trying to impose
its positions on the Arabs, stressing that efforts should respect the
different peoples' cultures.

On Libya, he repeated Greece's position that the situation cannot be
dealt with by using only military means, calling for a peaceful solution
that will be reached through negotiations.

On his part, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic underlined that Serbia
and Greece share the same views as regards the EU integration of the
western Balkans.

Addressing the same Economist Conference in the seaside resort of
Lagonissi, he said that "a bright future lies ahead for the Balkans in
spite of the difficulties", adding that "all roads should lead to a common
future that will guarantee security and stability in the greater region."

On Kosovo, he said a sincere dialogue is the only way to reach a consensus
solution and voiced the wish that the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue will
continue.

[04] FM: The Greek people do not deserve comments, recommendations that
are not constructive

The Greek people do not deserve comments and recom-mendations that are not
constructive, foreign minister Dimitris Droutsas stressed on Thursday,
addressing the 15th Economist Round Table with the Greek Government on
the theme "In the aftermath of the global economic crisis: What next?"

In a double message on the criticism coming from both inside and outside
Greece on the efforts of the government and the Greek society to deal with
the country's fiscal crisis, Droutsas added that every political force
and every political leader in Greece must shoulder their responsibilities
and be accountable for their choices.

He also said that Greece is committed to a strict reform effort and is
making great efforts to deal with the fiscal crisis, and urged each and
every citizen to assume their responsibilities for the country's exit
from this situation.

Replying to questions, Droutsas said that beyond the economic crisis,
Greece is also facing a crisis of morals which, to a great degree,
emanates from the political system of the past decades.

When speaking about the political system one should not forget that every
citizen of this country is part of that system, the foreign minister
said, and urged everyone's contribution to overcoming the crisis. "We
all have the obligation, but also the opportunity today, to contribute
in a substantial and responsible way to overcoming the crisis," he said.

Asked whether a reduction in the number of Greek MPs (currently 300)
would be a message to the Greek people in the present difficult fiscal
conjuncture, Droutsas responded that every symbolic move, in such
difficult times, could help, but would not solve the problem.

"We need to look in-depth at the political and social system that has
developed in Greece in the past decades, the recent decades," he said,
adding that "we need to look at the politics-economy and politics-mass
media relations. These are visible problems for which the time has come
for all the political forces and each and every citizen individually to
deal with responsibly and honestly".

Foreign ministry spokesman Grigoris Delavekouras on Thursday was
categorical in rejecting attempts aimed at disputing the sovereignty of
any part of the Greek territory.

Responding to a question by a reporter as regards the issue raised by
a Turkish politician concerning the Aegean islets of Agathonissi and
Farmakonissi and the alleged reactions on behalf the Turkish foreign
ministry, Delavekouras said "there is no vagueness in the sovereignty
of even an inch of Greek territory as it was recently emphasised by the
foreign minister."

"The reality is clear and nobody can dispute it. Greece will not tolerate
and will not accept any contestation. There is no room for doubting the
sovereignty of any part of the Greek territory," he said.

Regarding the visit by a group of Turkish citizens to Agathonissi on
Wednesday, Delavekouras said Greek authorities' response was "immediate",
stressing that the Turkish citizens left the area after it was pointed
out that having the necessary legal documents with them was imperative.

"It is self-evident that Turkey, being in an election campaign period,
should display a measure of seriousness and responsibility," he said.

Greek Foreign ministry spokesman Grigoris Delavekouras on Thursday
appealed to Albania's political leadership for "self-restraint and
maturity", in the wake of the municipal elections and the problems
appearing regarding the results in Tirana.

The Greek official noted that "generally speaking and despite specific
problems" the process developed "smoothly", a fact that is attributed
"to a great degree" to the noteworthy maturity shown by the electorate."

However, he underlined that "the problems being observed in counting in
the municipality of Tirana, deal a blow at the relatively positive image
of the process" and appealed to all forces "for legality and normalcy to
prevail, for the country's access prospect to the EU to be strengthened."

The spokesman added that "in this effort they will find a strong ally in
Greece, which has proved in practice that it supports Albania's approach
to the euro-atlantic structures."

Government spokesman George Petalotis once again ruled out all possibility
that Greece will restructure its debt on Thursday, saying that the
government "is chiefly concerned with implementing the Medium-Term
Stability Programme in order to bring the country out of the crisis". He
said this will be discussed by the cabinet at the beginning of next week.

Asked whether the prime minister would deliver a national address after
the approval of the Medium-Term Programme, Petalotis gave a negative
reply and said that this was not the time for "drama", adding that the
way that the programme would be announced had not yet been decided.

He did reveal that the government had decided to call each of the
opposition party leaders for one-on-one meetings with the prime minister
after the programme was approved, in order to brief them on what had
been decided and exchange views.

A proposal by Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) leader George Karatzaferis
for an "government of experts" not aligned with any political party
was not among the options currently being considered by the government,
Petalotis added.

Interior Minister Yiannis Ragoussis on Thursday denied that there was any
difference of opinion between Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou
and himself on whether employees should first be assessed by the Supreme
Council for Staff Selection (ASEP) before being transferred from a
public-sector service or agency due to be downsized or abolished to
another public-sector job.

Speaking to reporters in Parliament, Ragoussis noted that transfers were
being treated as new hiring and an evaluation process was essential. He
challenged main opposition New Democracy to adopt a position on whether
employees that failed such assessment should continue to burden the
Greek tax-payer's pocket.

He also clarified that employees with prior disciplinary offences would
no be eligible for transfer and left open the possibility of an assessment
of public services and civil servants.

The minister said that once the draft bill of e-government was passed the
'income and assets' statements of MPs will be posted on the Internet,
in collaboration with Parliament President Philippos Petsalnikos and
Parliament vice-president Evangelos Argyris.

Ragoussis also referred to the prompt action taken by the government
in October 2009 to reduce the number of public-sector staff, whose
numbers had been slashed by roughly 100,000 people by the failure to
renew temporary 'stage' contracts and a freeze on new hiring, saying
that this was one of the reasons why there was now less pressure on the
government from the EU-ECB-IMF troika to immediately fire 200,000 people
from the public sector.

Main opposition New Democracy (ND) party spokesman Yiannis Mihelakis
on Thursday stated that the government's actions show that it is not
interested in reaching a consensus and used as an example ND legislative
proposals rejected in parliament by the ruling PASOK.

Mihelakis stressed that "the major challenge faced by the government is
coordination", referring to contradictory statements made by government
ministers.

ND development sector head Costis Hatzidakis, who was present in the
press briefing, underlined the gradually deteriorating economic figures
focusing on economic growth. He stressed that the country needs actions
and reminded the recently unveiled ND proposals aimed at leading the
country out of the crisis.

ND leader Antonis Samaras will visit the ONNED headquarters on Thursday
afternoon to congratulate the ND youth organization for its good showing
in the university student elections held on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters, ONNED president Andreas Papamimikos underlined
the notable increase of student participation in the voting process.

Some 62 percent of respondents to an opinion poll conducted on behalf
of private SKAI television by Public Issue were opposed to the Memorandum.

The poll, the results of which were presented Wednesday night on a SKAI
television program, was conducted on the completion of one year since
the signing of the Memorandum.

According to the results, 62 percent of the respondents were against
the Memorandum, just 15 percent were in favor, and 19 percent said it
had neither benefited nor harmed the economy, while 3 percent expressed
no opinion.

Asked to evaluate the Memorandum, 62 percent of the respondents said it
had harmed the economy, 13 percent said it had benefited the economy,
18 percent said it had neither harmed nor benefited the economy, and
1 percent said it had somewhat benefited or somewhat hurt the economy,
while 5 percent took no position.

To a question on the necessity of the Memorandum, 69 percent of the
respondents said the Memorandum was not the only solution, while 24
percent considered it the only option. The corresponding percentages
from a similar opinion poll in April were 62 percent and 30 percent
respectively.

Further, 33 percent of the respondents held the politicians responsible
for the situation, 21 percent considered the Greek governments
responsible, 13 percent held mismanagement to blame, another 13 percent
put the blame on corruption, and 11 percent said that all the Greeks
were to blame.

Finally, 64 percent of the respondents considered Greece's bankruptcy a
possibility, while 32 percent said bankruptcy was not a possibility. The
correspondent percentages from a similar poll in February 2010 were 38
percent and 59 percent respectively.

Prestigious Greek composer and veteran politician Mikis Theodorakis,
best known abroad for the film scores of 'Zorba the Greek,' 'Serpico'
and ambitious 'symphonic' Greek music like Canto General, was received
by President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias on Thursday.

During the meeting, the composer lodged an official objection to the
Memorandum signed by Greece for the EU financial aid package, questioning
whether this was compatible with the country's Constitution.

Theodorakis, who launched an independent citizens' movement called
'Spitha' in 2010 after the Greek debt crisis emerged, was accompanied
by constitutional law expert George Kasimatis.

"The Memorandum and loan agreements are constitutionally invalid, since
they were not signed by three fifths of Parliament, nor by the President
of the Republic but only by the Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou,"
Theodorakis said in a statement as he emerged from the meeting.

"With [Prime Minister George Papandreou's] unacceptable surrender we
conceded a part of our national sovereignty. We had said that if the
Memorandum was implemented our country would be led into chaos. We have
reached the point of no return. There is no other solution. This is why
the government is seeking support in consensus and Europe is almost
extortionately saying that there must be national unity. But how can
this happen when the two largest parties cannot even claim 40 percent
[of the vote]," he added.

According to Kasimatis, Greece was a "country under occupation" and the
only solution was for people to take matters into their own hands. He
asserted that the terms contained in the Memorandum violated all the
fundamental principles of the Constitution, European legality and
international law.

[12] First 14 detention and initial reception centres for immigrants to
be created

The first 14 detention centres and initial reception centres for
immigrants will be created by decision of Citizen's Protection Minister
Christos Papoutsis. The centres, in many parts of the country, will
function with modern specifications and with supportive measures for
local societies.

Moreover, in cooperation with the Environment, Energy and Climatic Change
ministry and as minister Tina Birbili announced, incentives will be
provided for infrastructure projects in the regions with funding either
by the Environment operational programme or the Green Fund.

Receiving Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) Parliamentary group
leader Alexis Tsipras on Thursday, Citizen's Protection Minister Christos
Papoutsis noted his concern over a rise in violent crime but also his
conviction that the measures announced by Prime Minister George Papandreou
for the centre of Athens will yield results.

Tsipras paid a visit to Papoutsis, accompanied by two SYRIZA MPs, in
order to present SYRIZA'S proposals for dealing with violence and illegal
migration, reviving the historic centre of Athens and democratisation
of law enforcement agencies.

"I am concerned by the fact that there are many people that carry a gun
on them and use it, apparently with great ease," Papoutsis remarked
during the meeting, referring to Wednesday's shootout that left two
police officers and one suspect injured in Pefki, now in the hands of
the counter-terrorism squad.

"Dealing with violence demands awakening the democratic awareness of
the citizens and mobilising everyone so as to make it clear to the whole
of society that violence and fear have no place in a modern democracy,"
Papoutsis said after the meeting.

The minister also assured Tsipras that the Greek police would do their
job with "self-denial and discipline" and with absolute respect for the
laws, using only the legally sanctioned level of force.

The Environment and Climate Change ministry on Thursday announced that
171.59 million euro will be spent on actions to protect vulnerable
woodlands from fire. The money will be used fund fire-protection works
carried out by forest authorities and local authorities, who are called
upon to submit their proposals for funding by September 30, 2011.

Up to 14,986,962 million euro will be used to open and improve road
networks within forests that are economically exploited, with the aim of
improving conditions of mountain populations and developing eco-tourism.

A further 40.5 million euro is earmarked for works for fire-protection
zones and fire-prevention, 22.5 million euro for water-course management
works and 93.6 million euro for reforestation, anti-flooding and
anti-erosion works in burnt forests.

Greek Alternate Environment, Energy and Climatic Change Minister Nikos
Sifounakis, highlighted Greece's position that the introduction of the
term of "islandness" in article 174 of the Lisbon Treaty is necessary, in
the framework of the European Union's Political Cohesion. He was speaking
on Thursday at the Informal Council of Ministers of Land Planning and
Territorial Development in Budapest, in the framework of the Hungarian
Presidency of the EU in the first half of 2011.

He also underlined Greece's interest in strengthening accessibility,
which constitutes the main precondition for the development of islands,
aiming at the development of those productive activities functioning
attractively for housing and employment, while in parallel reflecting
the land identity of islands, such as mild tourist activity that is
linked with the special architectural and town planning form of these
islands' settlements.

The main issue discussed at the Informal Council was the way with
which the priorities set by the "Land Agenda 2020" will be taken into
consideration in sectoral policies, during the implementation of the
"Strategy-Europe 2020" and political cohesion after 2013.

A delegation of Chinese journalists that are currently on a visit to
Greece was received by Deputy Interior Minister and government spokesman
George Petalotis on Thursday. Also present during the meeting was
Information and Communication General Secretary Giorgos Petroulakis.

Petalotis briefed the visiting Chinese journalists on the status and
operation of the media in Greece and the actions and policy adopted by
the Greek government in order to deal with Greece's debt crisis.

He said that the Greek government hoped to overcome the problems through
the reforms now being adopted and stressed the need for closer cooperation
between Greece and China in all areas.

The delegation were among the first passengers to arrive in Athens on
a resumed 'Air China' flight service from Beijing to Athens via Munich,
which Greek authorities hope will boost the numbers of Chinese tourists
arriving in the country.

Greek Parliament vice-president Rodoula Zisi on Thursday had a meeting
with a visiting delegation of French MPs.

During the meeting, she referred to the economic crisis in the Eurozone
and stressed the need for a common European policy initiative for economic
governance in the Eurozone. She also called for measures to deal with
speculators and better oversight of global financial markets.

The French MPs referred to Greece's contribution to the development
of European and French civilisation, as well as the sacrifices and
determination of the Greek people during the current crisis for the
economy.

The planning for the dispatch of a Greek mobile medical unit to Libya is
progressing smoothly, and a team that will prepare the installation of
the unit will depart this weekend on a C130 military aircraft, foreign
ministry spokesman Grigoris Delavekouras said on Thursday.

He added that, in the next step, the relevant supplies will be transported
by ship.

Delavekouras added that 10 doctors and three representatives of the
foreign ministry will be taking part in the mobile unit.

Greece is within the targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions,
and the roadmap for the transition to a low carbon economy that looks,
inter alia, to covering 100 percent of the country's electricity needs
with Renewable Energy Sources (RES) will be completed by the end of
summer, Environment, Energy and Climate Change minister Tina Birbili
said Thursday, addressing the 15th Economist Round Table with the Greek
Government on the theme "In the aftermath of the global economic crisis:
What next?"

According to figures cited by the minister, carbon dioxide emissions
have already been reduced to 23 percent above the base year, against
a target of 25 percent by 2012 under the Kyoto Protocol, and emissions
are continuing to decline.

On the roadmap to the year 2050, which will soon be put to public debate,
Birbili said it will contain the following targets:

-

Meeting 100 percent of electrical energy production through RES

Increasing installed RES power to 40 GW (giga-watt) from 15 GW in 2020

Birbili explained that the roadmap is founded on existing technologies,
and pending is the calculation of the cost-benefit of the relevant
actions.

At European level, she continued, the transition to a low carbon economy
translates into the creation of 6 million new jobs and an increase in
the European GDP by 6 percent.

Birbili further said that the tragic events in Fukushima and unrest in
the Middle East have shown that a change of the growth model is mandatory
in order to meet the challenges, and reiterated the Greek government's
opposition to the use of nuclear energy.

Greece's Deputy Foreign Minister Spyros Kouvelis on Thursday officially
declared the start of a Greek-Egyptian business forum in Cairo, in which
more than 100 business people from Greece and Egypt participated.

Kouvelis said his visit to Cairo was important because it was taking
place at a time full of hope, when Egypt was in the process of changing
and recreating itself. He expressed the opinion that the changes would
soon be followed by growth, especially in industry and tourism.

"We have come to build new bridges of cooperation between our two peoples
and to boost enterprise between the two states," he said.

Kouvelis referred to tourism as an area with high potential for
cooperation between Greece and Egypt. He also noted Greece's satisfaction
that, throughout the period of the Egyptian revolution of January 25,
Greek businesses based in Egypt had been very well treated and had
remained in the country, supporting the Egyptian people.

Referring to Greece's economic problems, Kouvelis said an immense effort
was underway to rebuild the Greek economy and that as many reforms had
been carried out during the past year as in all the previous 30 years
put together.

There is an estimated 1.0-1.4 billion euro of Greek capital invested in
Egypt, with 120 Greek companies operating in the country. According to
the Greek statistical authority ELSTAT, Greek exports to Egypt in 2010
increased by 31.3 percent relative to 2009 and came to 208.66 million
euro. Greek imports from Egypt increased 16.2 percent and the trade
deficit was reduced by 10 pct. Egypt's ranking as a customer for Greek
products rose two places to 19th and its ranking as a supplier of Greece
also rose to 31st from 34th in 2009

[21] Employers' federation chief to political parties: 'Tell people
the truth'

The head of Greece's largest employers' association on Thursday strongly
criticised the domestic political world's inability to rapidly promote
necessary reforms, as he said, noting that the private sector in the
country was already suffering massively from the crisis.

"We are not promoting necessary reforms for more than a year. Instead,
we politically and ethically undermine the efforts of the citizens. This
cannot continue. Political parties have not told the truth to the
people. If we do not make it, we will starve. We have a final chance
to get out of the dead-end if we want to avoid the responsibility of
bankruptcy," Dimitris Daskalo-poulos, president of the Federation of
Hellenic Enterprises said on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters, Daskalopoulos said the private sector was
already suffering from the crisis with thousands of business closures
and 200,000 unemployed, while he stressed that the private sector cannot
bear the burden of useless state agencies, organizations and political
party relations.

Daskalopoulos stressed it was important to lift the uncertainty over
a possible bankruptcy since the country has great prospects for growth
and noted that the private sector must cut its relations of subsidies
with the state. "It must cut this relation with the state and move out
to international markets where it has the possibility of competing,"
he noted.

He said the Federation will present a detailed survey on the Greek
economy, offering a new growth and business model.

Unions of hospital doctors in Greece on Thursday stressed their intention
to block hospital mergers planned by the government, saying they would
enlist the aid of local mayors and municipal councils.

The head of their union federation stressed that the planned mergers
were dangerous and would lead to us "mourning victims" since people who
fell ill would be unable to reach hospitals to receive first aid on time.

Doctors assert that the state health system requires an additional
6,500 doctors to work efficiently, noting that the greatest shortages
in medical staff were in the hospitals and health centres on the islands
and remote areas.

They accused Health Minister Andreas Loverdos of being insufficiently
acquainted with the issues and using advisors of "doubtful ability" as
well as failing to talk with those actually working within the national
health system.

Members of the Public Power Corporation's (PPC) employees' federation
GENOP early Thursday staged a symbolic takeover at the entrance of the
finance ministry in downtown Athens, blocking finance minister George
Papaconstantinou and ministry employees from entering the building.

The PPC employees are protesting government plans for privatisation of
the Corporation and demand a meeting with Papaconstantinou.

GENOP president Nikos Fotopoulos told ANA-MPA that the takeover is
symbolic and will last for a few hours, adding that more mobilisations
are being planned.

-- The Greek government will sign the first concession contracts for
regional airports to private investors in 2012, the government announced
on Thursday.

-- Folli Follie and Fosun International on Thursday signed a memorandum
of cooperation, laying the ground for a strategic alliance between
the two groups. The agreement was hailed by government officials and
representative of the business world during a news conference.

-- Jumbo Group -a Greek-listed toy store chain - on Thursday reported a
small decline in its turnover and net profits in the nine-month period
from July 2010 to March 2011, saying that a combination of an economic
recession, strike mobilizations, high lending interest rates and a
changing international economic and geopolitical environment did not
affect consumers' appetite for the group's products.

-- Domestic mutual funds reported an increase in their assets to 8.04
billion euros and positive returns in the first quarter of 2011, official
figures showed on Thursday.

-- An Hellenic Exchanges general shareholders' meeting on Thursday
approved a board plan to pay a 0.15 euros per share dividend to
shareholders. The dividend is subject to a 21-pct withholding tax leaving
a net dividend of 0.1185 euros per share.

Stocks ended lower at the Athens Stock Exchange on Thursday, reversing
an early advance, as sellers took the upper hand in the market late at
the session, copying Wednesday's behavior. The composite index of the
market fell 0.44 pct to end at 1,322.27 points, after rising as much as
1.03 pct during the day. Turnover was a low 90.595 million euros.

The yield spread between the 10-year Greek and German benchmark bonds
widened to 12.80 pct in the domestic electronic secondary bond market on
Thursday, from 12.65 pct the previous day, with the Greek bond yielding
15.93 pct and the German Bund 3.13 pct. Turnover in the market was a low
30 million euros, of which 23 million were sell orders and the remaining
7.0 million euros were buy orders. The five-year benchmark bond was the
most heavily traded security with a turnover of 15 million euros.

The ANA-MPA on Thursday inaugurated its Chinese-language webpage
http://web.ana.gr/anachina/index.php on a pilot basis, an unprecedented
initiative by a European news agency aimed at the world's largest
community of Internet users and the second biggest economy worldwide.

Greece's national news agency aspires to serve as the pre-eminent and
most reliable source of information and news for Chinese speakers on
the Internet regarding issues emanating from and concerning the east
Mediterranean country.

The Greek parliament observed a minute of silence on Thursday in honor
of the Pontian Greek genocide victims.

May 19 is the date chosen by Parliament as a national memorial day for
commemorating the massacre of some 353,000 Greeks of Pontus (Black Sea
coast) in 1919 by Ottoman forces.

Parliament President Filippos Petsalnikos underlined that "this day
reminds us of the tragic consequences of hatred and violence that come
from nationalist and religious fanaticism?Historical knowledge of the
past is a basic precondition in preventing such phenomena".

A message by World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) President Stefanos
Tamvakis underlined that the Greeks living abroad honor the memory of the
thousands of victims of the Pontian Genocide that also had "devastating
consequences for those who survived".

Works by noted Greek painters inspired by the sea are currently on
display in Thessaloniki in an exhibition entitled "Thalassodromio"
(The Way of the Sea).

Paintings and seascapes by Yannis Tsarouchis, Costas Tsoklis, Alekos
Fassianos, Spyros Vassileiou and other noted Greek painters depicting
the sea and other related themes such as ships, beaches, the islands,
coasts and rocky cliffs will be on display at the art halls "Eirmos"
and "Metamorphosis" in Thessaloniki through 25 June.

A group of journalists from Israel on Thursday visited a noted
medieval Jewish synagogue in the north-central city of Veria, the only
centuries-old synagogue in northern Greece that is preserved intact.

Eleven Israeli journalists had the opportunity to learn about the history
of the Jews in Veria, visit the synagogue, tour the old Jewish quarter
and observe the traditional Sephardic architecture in the quarter.

Veria Mayor Haroula Ousoultzoglou told ANA-MPA that the visit was the
result of recent contacts with tour operators from Israel, underlining
that the region has attracted strong tourism interest.

The Jewish presence in Veria dates to 200 BC while the Sephardic quarter
was built in the 19th century.

Authorities on Thursday announced the arrests of two suspects in the
fatal mugging of 44-year-old Manolis Kantaris in an Athens inner city
district last week, when the victim attempted to retrieve his car to
carry his wife to a maternity ward to give birth to their second child.

The shocking incident generated heated protests in the area -- near
Victoria square -- with far-rightists groups rallying at the site of the
killing against the presence of illegal migrants in the city's centre,
followed by counter-rallies by ultra-leftists.

Both of the suspects were identified as Afghan nationals, presumably
illegal migrants. A third man, also described as an Afghan, is wanted.

The Special Violent Crimes Squad has undertaken the investigation on
Wednesday's shootout in the northern Athens suburb of Pefki in which two
police officers and one of the two armed men involved in the incident were
injured. A second suspect managed to flee using the police patrol car.

The hand pistol found at the scene of the shootout has not been used
in terrorist attacks according to the results of the ballistics tests
conducted by the police.

Police have released the photograph of the injured suspect currently
hospitalized under guard to the media and appealed to the public for
information about his identity.

The police patrol car with the two officers was dispatched to respond
to a call of disorderly conduct and, while on the way to the scene,
had stopped to check the identities of two individuals that aroused the
patrol officers' suspicions. The suspects fled on foot and shot at the
two police officers who returned fire.

The patrol car used by one of the assailants was later found abandoned
in the district of Kifissia.

The Athens Flower Show, featuring more than 600 varieties of ornamental
plants and flowers that Athenians can admire or even buy, is to be held
in Kotzia Square opposite the Athens Town Hall from May 20 until June 5.

The flower show is being organised jointly by the Athens municipality
and the Attica Plant Nursery Association.

Athens Mayor George Kaminis said the municipality was seeking to raise
environmental awareness via the flower show, using it to promote issues
such as recycling and active participation in keeping the city clean.

To this end, the Flower Show will for the first time also include an
Environment Week lasting from May 28 until June 5, with a series of
events and recycling as its central theme. The municipality will also
have a pavilion for the Urban Fauna Service to promote protection of
stray animals, where members of the public will be able to adopt stray
puppies. Another aim of the flower show is to promote use of local plant
species and raising awareness and public participation in the planting
of more greenery in Athens.

A strange-looking fish with human-like lips and teeth was caught last
Sunday by a local fisherman off the coasts of Sykia in Halkidiki,
northern Greece.

The 45-year-old fisherman told ANA-MPA that the 40-cm-long fish had a
round shape, rough skin and weighted roughly 700 grams.

"I haven't seen anything like it before," he said, "it managed to survive
outside the water for more than five hours. It had an unusual skin and
gills were absent replaced by a tiny opening it used in breathing."

The fish, believed to have migrated to the area from warmer waters,
will be examined in Aristotle University laboratories in Thessaloniki
to determine its origin.

Fair weather and northerly winds are forecast in most parts of the country
on Friday, with wind velocity reaching 2-5 beaufort. Temperatures will
range between 10C and 26C. Fair in Athens, with northerly 3-5 beaufort
winds and temperatures ranging from 12C to 25C. Same in Thessaloniki,
with temperatures ranging from 13C to 25C.

Speculated layoffs in wider public sector and the ceiling on pensions in
Public Utilities and Organisations (DEKO), and banks' and government's
movements towards a rapid privatisation, dominated the headlines in
Athens' newspapers on Thursday.